
1823-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
WARNING
■Important points while driving
Observe the following precautions while driving.
Failure to do so may result in loss of control of the vehicle and cause an
accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
● Do not adjust the mirrors while driving.
● Do not drive with the mirrors folded.
● Both the driver and passenger side mirrors must be extended and properly
adjusted before driving.
■ When a mirror is moving (power adjustable type)
To avoid personal injury and mirror malfunction, be careful not to get your
hand caught by the moving mirror.
■ When the mirror defoggers are operating (vehicles with outside rear
view mirror defoggers)
Do not touch the rear view mirror surfaces, as they can become very hot
and burn you.
NOTICE
■ If ice should jam the mirror
Do not operate the control or scrape the mirror face. Use a spray de-icer to
free the mirror.

1924-1. Before driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
Automatic transmission
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Manual transmission
With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever to 1.
Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as gradually
releasing the clutch pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■ When starting off on an uphill (vehicles with hill-start assist control sys-
tem)
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( P. 354)
■ Driving in the rain
● Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
● Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
● Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road sur-
face, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■ Engine speed while driving (automatic transmission)
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting c ontrol or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
● The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
● When the accelerator pedal is released
Starting off on a steep uphill
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2
3
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2
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1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
■ After driving on muddy roads in poor condition (for EURO VI models*
with 1GD-FTV and 2GD-FTV engines)
Check the cooling fins of the urea injector and clear away any foreign objects
or substances such as leaves or mud. If any of the above parts is extremely
dirty or you are not sure of their condition, have your vehicle inspected by any
authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
*: EURO VI is an emission standard. If it is not clear that your vehicle meets
relevant standards, contact any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota autho-
rized repairer, or any reliable repairer.
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■ When starting the vehicle
On vehicles with automatic transmission, always keep your foot on the
brake pedal while stopped with the engine running. This prevents the vehi-
cle from creeping.
■ When driving the vehicle
● Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelera-
tor pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
● During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 555

1964-1. Before driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■ When driving the vehicle
● Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 2 3 1 )
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.
● On vehicles with manual transmission, observe the following to prevent
the clutch from being damaged.
• Do not operate the clutch halfway for a long period of time unless it is
necessary.
• Do not operate the clutch half or partial engaged to control the vehicle
speed, such as to drive the vehicle at a low speed, to hold the vehicle
on a slope, etc.
• Do not depress the brake pedal during operating the clutch half or par-
tial engaged.
Doing so could not only speed up the clutch wear, but also damage the
clutch or even cause a fatal accident such as vehicle fire.
■ When driving on slippery road surfaces
● Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
● After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected.

1974-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■ When shifting the shift lever
● On vehicles with automatic transmission, do not let the vehicle roll back-
wards while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll forward while the
shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● On vehicles with automatic transmission, do not shift the shift lever to P
while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is
selected.
● On vehicles with automatic transmission, be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shifting the shift lever to a
gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the
vehicle that may cause an accident.
■ If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer as soon as
possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle w hen the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.

2014-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
On vehicles with automatic transmission, always set the parking brake, and
shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or
the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally
depressed.
■ Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
● Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for
an extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering pump.
● When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
● Diesel engine: Make sure to idle the engine immediately after high-load
driving. Stop the engine only after the turbocharger has cooled down.
Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger.
● Diesel engine: In an extremely cold environment, idle the engine for more
than 30 seconds after starting the engine. Do not race the engine while
idling.
■ If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehi-
cle.
● It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
● The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
● The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire. ( P. 581)

203
4
4-1. Before driving
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load.
WARNING
■ Things that must not be carried in the rear deck
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the rear deck:
● Receptacles containing gasoline
● Aerosol cans
■ Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent t he pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may re sult in items hitting the driver or pas-
sengers, possibly causing an accident.
● Stow cargo and luggage in the rear deck whenever possible.
● Except for single-cab models: Do not stack anything behind the front seats
higher than the seatbacks.
● Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (if equipped) (when stacking
items)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
● Secure all items in the occupant compartment.
● Never allow anyone to ride in the rear deck. It is not designed for passen-
gers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts properly fastened.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer death or serious bodily
injury, in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■ Load and distribution
● Do not overload your vehicle.
● Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control
which may cause death or serious injury.

2084-1. Before driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K789E_(EE)
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. In order to
avoid accident death or serious injury, keep the following in mind
when towing:
■Checking connections between trailer and lights
Stop the vehicle and check the operation of the connection between
the trailer and lights after driving for a brief period as well as before
starting off.
■Practicing driving with a coupled trailer
● Get the feel for turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer
coupled by practicing in an area with no or light traffic.
● When reversing with a coupled trailer, hold the section of the
steering wheel nearest to you and rotate clockwise to turn the
trailer left or counterclockwise to turn it right. Always rotate a little
at a time to prevent steering error. Have someone guide you
when reversing to lessen the risk of accident.
■Increasing vehicle-to-vehicle distance
At a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph), the distance to the vehicle running
ahead of you should be equivalent to or greater than the combined
length of your vehicle and trailer. Avoid sudden braking that may
cause skidding. Otherwise, the vehicle may spin out of control. This
is especially true when driving on wet or slippery road surfaces.
■Sudden acceleration/steering input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing may result in the trailer colliding
with your vehicle. Decelerate well in advance when approaching
turns and take them slowly and carefully to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding turning
The wheels of the trailer will travel closer to the inside of the curve
than the wheels of the vehicle. To make allowance for this, take the
turns wider than you would normally do.
Guidance